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How to KonMari Your Food

5 Ways I KonMari-ed the Crap Out of My Diet, and "Sparking Joy" Is Just the Beginning

Mar 15 2019

On a four-hour road trip, I listened to the audiobook of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. The title didn't lie: it really was life-changing for me. I admit, before listening to this book, my messy, cluttered house made me feel so stressed and annoyed. I was spending more time cleaning every week than I spent enjoying my family. I really do have Marie to thank for helping me gain control and for giving me the greatest gift: more time with my husband and kids.

Aside from perfectly stacked workout leggings in my drawers (that inspire me to hit up CrossFit and yoga classes) and clothes in my closet that make me feel beautiful (I ditched the too-small jeans I was holding onto from before my two pregnancies that made me feel bad about myself), Marie's organisation tips have positively spilled into my healthy eating lifestyle. Here are five ways decluttering my house has inspired me to clean up my diet.

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Jenny Sugar

I Keep My Pantry Neat and Organised

After tidying up my bedroom drawers and closet, I tackled the kitchen, since it was the most used area in the house. It took me a long weekend, but I pulled everything out of the cabinets, pantry, and fridge. I organised everything: the appliances, the spices, the dishware, the cookie cutters.

For the nonperishable items, I neatly stacked all the cans and lined up the boxes, packages, and bottles. I realised I had tons of opened bags of grains, beans, seeds, and nuts, so I bought big mason jars to store them. I also neatly stacked smaller containers of the premeasured snacks I like such as almonds and peanuts so I can grab those instead of handful after handful from the mason jars.

Opening up my pantry and seeing all the gorgeous colours and textures definitely sparks joy. Now I can easily see what food I have, and it inspires me to use all those healthy ingredients like lentils and chia seeds more often. I can also easily see what healthy ingredients I'm running low on so the next time I hit the store, I'll remember to grab what I need.

There's also a designated shelf for baking items because I'm a huge baker. I keep this area stocked with organised mason jars as well. At least once a week, I'll bake some scones, muffins, cookies, or bars, and having healthy ingredients like almond meal, coconut sugar, and whole-wheat flour allows me to satisfy my baking obsession in a nutritious, delicious way.

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Jenny Sugar

I Organise My Fridge, Too

I also keep my fridge neat and tidy. On Sunday night, it's the most full and organised, with stacks of meal-prepped dinners like one-pan meals and soups, lunchtime Buddha bowls, and mason jars of cut-up veggies for dinner salads, stir-fries, tacos, and the kids' lunches.

Prepping all the veggies I buy on Sunday and having them all organised and planned for each day of the week may seem excessive, but it ensures I never go hungry. I always have a healthy meal on hand, and it saves time cooking during the week (so I can spend more time with my family). It also saves money — there are no veggies hidden in drawers that get forgotten about.

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Jenny Sugar

I Discarded the Items I Don't Use or Eat

With the initial decluttering of my kitchen, I ended up ditching a lot like cracked mugs and the broken handheld mixer I was holding onto (not sure why?) and finding the silicone baking mat I thought I'd lost! Dishes and cups I don't use also went to the Goodwill.

I also got rid of the food I haven't touched in a few months. I was on this pasta alternative kick for a while, trying to get my kids to like pasta made out of edamame, chickpeas, or lentils, but really, they'll only eat whole-wheat pasta, so I gave away the others.

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Jenny Sugar

I Only Eat Foods That Spark Joy

Part of my journey with healthy eating is realising that I need to eat the foods that make me feel good and make me happy. I actually really adore kale salads with roasted veggies, so I make a point to eat that a few times a week. But eating home-baked chocolate banana bread also makes me do the happy food dance in my seat, so I balance them both.

All the food I eat sparks joy for me, whether it's because it tastes tremendous or because it makes me feel energized (and not bloated). I mean, why eat food that doesn't bring me pleasure? That means you won't find me spooning into chia seed pudding (eww, the texture!), but you also won't find me polishing off an entire apple pie because I'll just feel terrible after. Food = joy in my life.

To help inspire joyful, delicious healthy eating, I've recently gotten into collecting cookbooks. My all-time favourite right now is Oh She Glows Every Day by Angela Liddon. And yes, all my cookbooks are neatly stacked in a glass cabinet in my kitchen — just seeing them all lined up brings me joy.

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Jenny Sugar

I Only Buy What I Need and Love

Doing a complete overhaul and organising my kitchen has helped me take on a minimalist view when it comes to this area of the house. Now when I'm out shopping, I think twice before buying anything. I ask myself, will I absolutely eat this food, or do I absolutely love this dish towel, or is this the perfect-size salad bowl I've been looking for? Everything I buy has a purpose, and it doesn't go unused or wasted.

Now I will only buy the foods, appliances, bowls, cups, plates, knives, and meal-prep containers (anything that involves eating or preparing food) that I'll use and that I love.

For example, for years I've been contemplating wanting to get a stand-up mixer. It's not cheap, though, so I wanted to be sure I really needed and would use it, and this year, on my birthday, I got one. The yummy food and memories I've made in just a few months have already made it worth it. From the Friday night family homemade pizza crust to the birthday cakes to the random Tuesday night chocolate chip cookies, it's definitely sparked joy!

Image Source: Getty / antiphiler

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